Windows Admin Center and Deploying Windows Server Insider Build 25099 Core #WindowsAdminCenter #Winserv #WIMVP

Windows Admin Center Version 2110.2 Build 1.3.2204.19002

Windows Admin Center is a customer-deployed, browser-based app for managing servers, clusters, hyper-converged infrastructure, and Windows PCs. It comes at no additional cost beyond Windows and is ready to use in production. Learn more about Windows Admin Center.

Benefits

• Simple and modern management experience
• Hybrid capabilities
• Integrated toolset
• Designed for extensibility

Languages
Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Czech, Dutch (Netherlands), English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Spanish, Swedish (Sweden), Turkish

In the following step-by-step guide I will deploy Windows Server 2022 Insider Build 25099 Core Edition with Windows Admin Center tool together with some great features for managing Windows Servers in a secure hybrid way with Microsoft Azure Cloud services. Like Azure Defender for Cloud, Azure Backup Vault, Azure Monitor, Security and more.
So I have Windows Admin Center 2110.2 installed and I have a Windows Server 2022 Hyper-V Server for my Virtual Machines in my MVPLAB Domain.
Now we will deploy the new Windows Server 2022 Insider Preview Build 25099.

In WAC on my Hypervisor in Virtual Machines

When you explore and open your Hyper-V Host and go to Virtual Machines, you can Click on Add and then on New for Creating your Windows Server Insider VM.

Create a New Windows Server Insider VM called StormTrooper01

Here you can configure your new Windows Server 2022 Insider VM with the following :

• What kind of Generation VM (Gen 2 Recommended)
• The path of your Virtual Machine and the path of your virtual disk(s)
• CPU and you can make nested Virtualization too
• Memory and use of Dynamic Memory
• Network select the Virtual Switch
• Network Isolation by VLAN
• Storage, Create the size of the Virtual Disk. Choose an ISO or Select an existing VHD(x)

I Created a New 70GB OS Disk
and I want to Install the New Windows Server Insider OS from ISO.
Click on Browse

Here you Browse Default on your Hyper-V Host and select the ISO.

When the Windows Server ISO is selected you can hit Create

We get the Notification that the virtual machine is successfully created.

Only the Virtual Machine is now made with your specs and visible on the Hyper-V Host.
Select the New Virtual Machine (StormTrooper01) click on Power and hit Start.

After you started the VM, you can double click on it and go to Connect.
Click on Connect to the Virtual Machine.

Now you are on the console via VM Connect.

Click on Install Now

We are installing Windows Server 2022 Insider Core edition, because we have WAC 😉

Installing Windows Server 2022 Insider Core Preview Build 25099 via Windows Admin Center

Create New Administrator Password.

And here we have Sconfig of the Windows Server 2022 Core.
via Virtual Machine Connect.

Now we can add and connect the New Virtual Machine with Windows Server 2022 Insider Preview Build in Windows Admin Center via IP-Address.

The Next step is to join the Windows Server 2022 Insider to my Domain MVPLAB.

Click on the Top on Edit Computer ID
Click on Domain and type your domain name.
Click op Next
Add your administrator account for joining the server
Reboot the VM.

Windows Server 2022 Insider Preview Core edition is domain joined.

Now we have the New Microsoft Windows Server 2022 Insider Preview Build 25099 running in Windows Admin Center, we can use all the tooling provided by WAC also in a Azure Hybrid way. Think about Azure Defender for Cloud, Azure Monitor. In Microsoft Windows Admin Center we also have a topic Azure Hybrid Center :

Here you see all the Azure Hybrid benefit features for your Windows Server 2022 Insider.

• Microsoft Azure Arc
• Azure Backup
• Azure File Sync
• Azure Site Recovery
• Azure Network Adapter
• Azure Monitor
• Azure Update Management
• and More…

Microsoft Azure and the Windows Admin Center Team made the wizards customer friendly and easy to get those Azure Hybrid services for your Windows Server.
When you have your Server running, you want to make backups and Monitoring your Server for management. And after that you want to be in control of your security of your new Server. In the following steps you see some examples on the same Windows Server 2022 Insider Preview Build:

Microsoft Azure Backup via WAC

Click on Azure Backup
Select your Azure Subscription and the Azure Backup Vault.
Select your data and make the schedule.

Enter the Encryption passphrase and Apply.

Here you have Azure Backup Vault working together with WAC.

Azure Defender for Cloud Security

Click op Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Click on Setup
Add the right Azure Subscription and Workspace
Click on Setup.

Configuring Azure Defender for Cloud agent and Subscription.

Azure Defender for Cloud in Windows Admin Center on your Windows Server 2022 Insider Preview Build.

In Windows Admin Center there is also a Security tab for the Windows Server.

Here you can see your Secured-Core status

• Hypervisor Enforced Code Integrity (HVCI)
• Boot DMA Protection
• System Guard
• Secure Boot
• Virtualization-Based Security (VBS)
• Trusted Platform Module (TPM2.0)

Here you can see if your system is supported for this security features 🙂

Enable the supported features and Restart de Virtual Machine.

And here you see my status overview.

Further more you can manage RBAC in Windows Admin Center when you have to work with different kind of users.

You can find RBAC in settings.

Conclusion

Windows Server Insider Core edition and Windows Admin Center are working better together! You have all the tools you need to startup your Windows Server and
manage it with WAC. Windows Admin Center is getting better and better to manage your Hybrid Datacenter and keep you as an Administrator in Control!
So is how I manage my MVPLAB but also for Production workloads I use Windows Admin Center and the Azure Portal together. With Microsoft Azure Arc Services
Azure Hybrid becomes your solution where Windows Admin Center can Support you with making Azure Stack HCI Clusters with Azure Kubernetes for your DevOps environment.

Windows Admin Center Community Group on LinkedIn

Azure Arc Enabled Kubernetes Container Insights Alerts and Actions #Azure #Cloud #DevOps

Azure Arc-Enabled Data Services overview

Microsoft Azure Arc allows you to manage the following resource types hosted outside of Azure:

• Servers: Manage Windows and Linux physical servers and virtual machines hosted outside of Azure.
• Kubernetes clusters: Attach and configure Kubernetes clusters running anywhere, with multiple supported distributions.
• Azure data services: Run Azure data services on-premises, at the edge, and in public clouds using Kubernetes and the infrastructure of your choice. SQL Managed Instance and PostgreSQL Hyperscale (preview) services are currently available.
• SQL Server: Extend Azure services to SQL Server instances hosted outside of Azure.

I have a Kubernetes Cluster enabled with Azure Arc Services in my MVP LAB:

It’s Called Dockkube.

The Kubernetes Cluster is running on-premises and is enabled with Microsoft Azure Arc Services. With that said we get Azure Services available for management in the Cloud in a hybrid way. In the following step by step guide we activate Azure Monitor Insights for Containers on the Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes Cluster.

Container Insights Alerts / Actions on Azure Arc Enabled Kubernetes

Dockkube Insights

When you open Dockkube Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes, you will see on the left Monitoring Insights.
Then you have the options :

• What’s New
• Cluster
• Nodes
• Controllers
• Containers.

Click on Containers, and you will see all the containers on the Azure Arc enabled kubernetes.
Then you have recommended Alerts (Preview) at the top, when you Click on it you will see all the predefined recommended alerts in preview. I have selected Node CPU % and Enabled the alert. With that you see on the above screenshot there is no action group assigned. That is the next step, click on No Action Group Assigned.

Click on Create a new action group.

Select the Azure Subscription, Resource group and give the
Action Group a name.
Click on Next: Notifications

Here you can select your type of Alert communication.
I have selected the option Email.

Setting the Name : Dock Kube Notify.

The next step you can select an action type :

• Automation Runbook
• Azure Function
• Event Hub
• ITSM
• Logic App
• Secure webhook
• Webhook

In my MVP LAB, I don’t need an action but just a notification by email.

You can set a TAG here

Before you create the Alert rule with the action group, you get the option
to test the action group.
Click on Test Action Group.

Select a sample type.
I did Resource health alert
Click on Test.

The test is running.

I’m getting the Alert email in my box from Microsoft Azure.

Test is successful and click on Done.

Click on Create

Select the Action group for me is that DockKube CPU.
Click on Apply to Rule.

Now this Alert is active on my Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes 😉

When you go to Alert Rules, you will see the new Alert rule.
Here you can modify it if necessary.

For example, I want the severity from 3 Information to 2 Warning.

I made a severity 2 Warning.
Don’t forget to click on Save at the left top.

More Container Insights information on Microsoft docs :

Recommended metric alerts (preview) from Container insights 

Common alert schema

Use Cluster Connect to connect to Azure Arc-enabled Kubernetes clusters

Conclusion

Microsoft Azure Arc enabled kubernetes is Awesome for management in a hybrid way. I just showed you the power of Alert rules with action groups from the Azure Cloud to get Container Insights. Of course there are more Azure features for your Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes like Security (Preview) Kubernetes Resources, Policies, Gitops and more. Making your own dashboard with Container Insight information. Go for hybrid IT Management with Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes!

 

Apply #security principles to your #architecture to protect against attacks on your data and systems

Hope you started year 2022 in Good Health in a difficult pandemic time.

Starting 2022 by asking yourself, how is your Security by Design doing in 2022
Your Security is one of the most important aspects of any architecture for your Business.
It provides confidentiality, integrity, and availability assurances against attacks and abuse of your valuable data and systems. Losing these assurances can negatively impact your business operations and revenue, and your organization’s reputation.

Here you find Awesome information about Applying security principles to your architecture to protect against attacks on your data and systems:

Microsoft Architecture and Security Docs

Here you find more information about NIST Cybersecurity Framework

The Microsoft Cybersecurity Reference Architectures (MCRA) describe Microsoft’s cybersecurity capabilities. These References and diagrams can support you with implementing Security by design.

Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Microsoft Defender for Cloud (formerly known as Azure Security Center) community repository. This repository contains:

• Security recommendations that are in private preview
• Programmatic remediation tools for security recommendations
• PowerShell scripts for programmatic management
• Azure Policy custom definitions for at-scale management of Microsoft Defender for Cloud
• Logic App templates that work with Defender for Cloud’s Logic App connectors (to automate response to Security alerts and recommendations)
• Logic App templates that help you run regular tasks or reports within the scope of Microsoft Defender for Cloud
• Custom workbooks to visualize Defender for Cloud data

Become a Microsoft Defender for Cloud Ninja

Security and Learning is a ongoing process, I always say Learning on the Job 😉 is important to keep Up-to-Date every day of the week. Microsoft Tech Community platform and Microsoft Learning can support you to get the knowledge.

Become a Microsoft Defender for Cloud Ninja here

Conclusion

Microsoft and the community has a lot of good security information to start with for your Data and Systems to keep your business solution as save as possible. Here they write New blogposts for the community about Defender for Cloud

Keep in Mind “Security is only as strong as the weakest component in the Chain”

So keep your Security up-to-date and do assessments on vulnerabilities to keep your data and systems secure. Monitoring => Alerting => Remediation is 24/7/365 Process with Security people in the business.

#Microsoft Defender for Cloud videos with @yuridiogenes #Security

Here you will find all the Microsoft Defender for Cloud videos with Yuri

Here you find all the Azure Security Center in the Field Videos with Yuri

You can follow Yuri Diogenes also on Twitter

 

What’s New in Windows Server 2022 Security! #Winserv #Security #WindowsServer2022 #SecOps

Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit 1.0

The Microsoft Security Configuration Toolkit enables enterprise security administrators to effectively manage their enterprise’s Group Policy Objects (GPOs).  Using the toolkit, administrators can compare their current GPOs with Microsoft-recommended GPO baselines or other baselines, edit them, store them in GPO backup file format, and apply them via a domain controller or inject them directly into testbed hosts to test their effects. For more information, see Windows Security Baselines.

 

Baseline security policies for Windows Server 2022.

But what’s new in Microsoft Windows Server 2022?

Here we have some new Windows Server 2022 security features :

• Secured-core server

• Hardware root-of-trust

• Firmware protection

• Virtualization-based security (VBS)

• Secure connectivity

  • Transport: HTTPS and TLS 1.3 enabled by default on Windows Server 2022

  • Secure DNS: Encrypted DNS name resolution requests with DNS-over-HTTPS

  • Server Message Block (SMB): SMB AES-256 encryption for the most security conscious

  • SMB: East-West SMB encryption controls for internal cluster communications

  • SMB over QUIC

• Azure Arc enabled Windows Servers

• Windows Admin Center

• Azure Automanage – Hotpatch

You can read more information on these topics on Microsoft Docs

Windows Server 2022 security features

In the following steps you will see some of the security features of Microsoft Windows Server 2022.

When your Windows Server 2022 is running on a Hypervisor like Hyper-V, you can set Memory integrity under Windows Security to ON.
This prevents attacks from inserting malicious code into high security processes. When you set this security feature on, the Server needs a reboot to activate.
Memory Integrity needs a reboot.

Windows Security Notifications.

By default Virus & Threat protection notification is active, when you want notifications about Microsoft defender firewall blocking a new application, you have to turn this feature on and select the firewalls.

In Windows security we have also ransomware protection. 
Protect your files against threats like ransomware, and see how to restore files in case of an attack.
You can do this by Controlled folder access.
Protect files, folders and memory on your Server from unauthorized changes by software.

Protected folders.

New in Windows Server 2022 is Tamper protection in Windows Security.
This Prevents others from tampering with important security features.

 

This was all Microsoft Windows Server 2022 security in the VM, but how about your Windows Server 2022 Hyper-V Hypervisors?

Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI) is a virtualization based security (VBS) feature available in Windows. In the Windows Device Security settings, HVCI is referred to as Memory Integrity.

HVCI and VBS improve the threat model of Windows and provide stronger protections against malware trying to exploit the Windows Kernel. VBS leverages the Windows Hypervisor to create an isolated virtual environment that becomes the root of trust of the OS that assumes the kernel can be compromised. HVCI is a critical component that protects and hardens this virtual environment by running kernel mode code integrity within it and restricting kernel memory allocations that could be used to compromise the system.

See Virtualization Based Security System Resource Protections for more details on these protections.

 

Here you find a great video with a session of Jeff Woolsey Principal Program Manager at Microsoft. It’s all about What’s new in Windows Server 2022.

Conclusion

Start with Microsoft Windows Server 2022 today and make your test environment to play with Windows Server 2022 and Security.
Make your core business application solution more secure then ever, and let a ethical hacker do pen tests on your solution.
When you have security by default in your architectural designs, and test your Windows Server 2022 for production workloads it makes a big different to keep your environment and solution safe. And when you monitor your Windows Server 2022 solution pro-active with Azure Monitor, Azure Security Center, Azure Defender like this with Azure Arc enabled Servers

This keeps you in Control on Security by design for your business.

JOIN Microsoft Ignite 2021 Event November 2-4 #MSIgnite #Azure #Winserv #Windows11 #Hybrid

Microsoft Ignite 2021

Join Microsoft and the Community November 2–4, 2021 to explore the latest tools, training sessions, technical expertise, networking opportunities, and more. You can register here

Here you find some great MSIgnite guidance on Microsoft Tech Community :

Check out what’s new in Security at Microsoft Ignite

Surface at Microsoft Ignite: November 2021

Your Guide to Microsoft Teams at Microsoft Ignite Fall 2021

Windows at Microsoft Ignite: November 2021

A developer’s guide to Ignite 2021

Bring Azure Kubernetes Services to a Hybrid Environment (The Blueprint Files)

Follow @MS_Ignite on Twitter

Of course you can make your own schedule from the session catalog here

Don’t forget your Registration and have a Great innovative Microsoft Ignite 2021 Event 😉

 

Azure Monitor Insights for Arc enabled Kubernetes Clusters anywhere #Azure #Kubernetes

Azure Monitor Insights for Monitoring your Containers.

In the last blogpost I wrote about Microsoft Azure Arc Services and how to connect a Docker for Desktop Kubernetes Cluster for testing your DevOps solution like Container Apps, Functions, App Services in a test environment. Here you find the Link to the Installation.

One of the Microsoft Azure Arc features is Azure Monitor Insights for monitoring your Kubernetes Cluster and the Containers.

Azure Arc Insights for Kubernetes Cluster anywhere

In the following step-by-step guide we will configure Azure Monitor Insights for your Kubernetes Cluster.

I Connected my Analytics Workspace CloudMVPLab.
Click on Configure.

Onboarding your Kubernetes Cluster will take some minutes.

After a while your Kubernetes Cluster Analytics data will show in Insights.

Here you see a navigation bar with the following topics

• What’s New
• Cluster
• Reports
• Nodes
• Controllers
• Containers.

Insights reports of the Kubernetes Cluster

Here you can Click on default reports of your Kubernetes Cluster.

Storage Capacity and Health Status report of your Kubernetes Cluster.

Storage Capacity more in Details.

Deployments Report of your Kubernetes Cluster.

Workload details Report of your Kubernetes Cluster.

Kubelet report of your Kubernetes Cluster

Data Usage of your Kubernetes Cluster

Data Usage

Insights the Nodes of the Kubernetes Cluster

Insights of the Nodes and on the right you can view Analytics.

Here you can work with Log Analytics on your Cluster.

Insights in Controllers of your Kubernetes Cluster

Insights of your Controllers

Insights Containers of your Kubernetes Cluster

Container Insights of your Kubernetes Cluster

Container Insights with Azure Log Analytics.

So with Azure Arc Enabled Kubernetes Clusters you can monitoring your Cluster and running Containers to keep you in Control on what is happening on the Cluster but also with your Container Apps and microservices. After this you can set Alerts and notifications when something is going wrong or offline. With this running you can start running your own App services, Containers or Azure functions on your Kubernetes Cluster.

Microsoft Senior Cloud Advocate Thomas Maurer explains in this awesome video how to add Azure App Services to your Kubernetes Cluster

Conclusion

This configuration with Docker for Desktop Kubernetes Cluster is for testing purpose only and can be used for your own DevOps solutions before you deploy on Production Ready Clusters. With Azure Arc Enabled Kubernetes Clusters you get the powerful Microsoft Azure Features and solutions in a secure way on your Kubernetes Cluster. I wish you lot of success with Azure Arc Enabled Kubernetes Clusters to make Awesome Apps and IT solutions for the Business 😉

#AzureArc Services with Docker for Windows #Kubernetes Cluster for Testing #DevOps #MSBuild

Microsoft Build 2021 Global virtual event

I Hope everyone had a Great Microsoft Build 2021 Online Conference this week. Microsoft announced a lot of new features and Hybrid Cloud Solutions at Build 2021 🙂 If you missed this Awesome Build 2021 event, you can watch the highlights on demand here.

Microsoft also launched MSBuild Book of News 2021

Build 2021 Resources: Build consistent hybrid and multicloud applications with Azure Arc

DevOps and developers are increasingly using microservices-based architectures with containerized applications for agility and flexibility. Azure Arc extends the single control plane from Azure to enable you to build apps consistently across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. With this information I was thinking, can I connect Microsoft Azure Arc Services to my Surface Book 3 with Windows 10 Preview Insiders Build 21390 and Docker for Windows with Kubernetes Cluster 1.19.7 active?

IMPORTANT: The following step-by-step guide is for testing purpose only.

Installing Docker for Windows with Kubernetes Cluster on Windows 10

First you need to have Docker for Windows 10.

System requirements

Your Windows machine must meet the following requirements to successfully install Docker Desktop.

• WSL 2 backend
• Hyper-V backend and Windows containers

WSL 2 backend

• Windows 10 64-bit: Home, Pro, Enterprise, or Education, version 1903 (Build 18362 or higher).
• Enable the WSL 2 feature on Windows. For detailed instructions, refer to the Microsoft documentation.
• The following hardware prerequisites are required to successfully run WSL 2 on Windows 10:
  • 64-bit processor with Second Level Address Translation (SLAT)
  • 4GB system RAM
  • BIOS-level hardware virtualization support must be enabled in the BIOS settings. For more information, see Virtualization.

Here you can download Docker Desktop for Windows

With docker desktop for Windows you can switch between Windows Containers and Linux Containers. When you want to have a Kubernetes Cluster on your Windows 10 device active you have to switch to Linux Containers in the taskbar like this :

It’s now active for Linux Containers. (Default)

Right Click on the Docker tray icon and go to Settings.
Then go to Kubernetes to enable your Cluster locally on your Windows 10 Device.
When you apply it take some minutes for the installation.

When you see the Kubernetes icon on green, then your Cluster is running.

When you do a lot of DevOps work you use Microsoft Visual Studio Code for Free, because here you can see your Kubernetes Cluster and try your own code or Apps.

Kubernetes Cluster is running locally on your Windows 10 device.

Installing Microsoft Azure Arc Agent

The next step is to install the Microsoft Azure Arc agent on your Windows 10 device.

Login in your Azure Subscription, if you don’t have one you can start here

Search for Azure Arc in your subscription.

Click on Servers and Click on Add.

Click on add a Single Server.
Click on Generate Script.

Prerequisites for the Azure Arc Agent.

Select your Azure Subscription and Resource Group
Choose your Region.
Operating System is Windows. ( your Windows10 device)
Click on Next.

You can add your TAG here.
More information about Azure Tags

Here you can download the Installation script or do a Copy of the Azure Arc Agent.

Open PowerShell ISE in Administrator mode.
Paste the Azure Arc Agent PowerShell Script.
Click on run.

When you see this message open your browser and go to
https://microsoft.com/devicelogin

Copy the Code in the last rule of PowerShell here and click on Next.

Enter your Azure Subscription account here and click on Next.

Connection is made with Azure you can close this screen.

Azure Arc Agent is connect with your Windows 10 Device.

Here you see my Azure Arc Enabled Machine.

Now your Windows 10 device, my Surface Book 3 is connected with Microsoft Azure Arc Services.

Register a Kubernetes Cluster with Azure Arc

The last step is to register your kubernetes Cluster with Microsoft Azure Arc Services.

Click on kubernetes Clusters on the left.
Click on Register a Kubernetes Cluster with Azure Arc.

The prerequisites to add your Kubernetes Cluster to Azure Arc

Select your Azure Subscription
Select your Resource Group
Give your Cluster a Name in Azure
Select Region.
Are you behind a Proxy Server? Yes or No

Here you can add your TAG to the Kubernetes Cluster.

The Next step is to run the Script, you can do that with PowerShell or Bash. I Did this via Azure CLI and with Helm 3.

Microsoft Azure CLI active with Helm 3

Copy the Bash commando into your Azure CLI like here.

This operation might take a couple of minutes.

Done, the Kubernetes Cluster is added to Azure Arc.

Dockkube was successfully connected to Azure.

Kubernetes Cluster with Azure Arc

Now you Have connected your Kubernetes Cluster to Azure Arc Services, you can start exploring the extensions :

Kubernetes Cluster – Azure Arc extensions

You can work with GitOps on your Kubernetes Cluster via Azure Arc Services

GitOps on your Kubernetes Cluster via Azure Arc.

More Features like Security, Monitoring, Automation :

Features for Kubernetes in Azure Arc Services.

Here you see in Visual Studio Code your Azure-Arc Helm Release.

Conclusion

“Learn how to write once and run anywhere using your preferred cloud-native application services. Ensure governance, compliance and security for your deployments, all through a single pane of glass management experience in Azure.”

With Microsoft Azure Arc Services you bring Azure Cloud Technology anywhere for your Apps, Containers, microservices.
I Hope this is a first start for exploring and testing your Hybrid Cloud solution. Wish you a lot of fun and happy coding 😉

 

Security by Design with #Azure Security Center and Azure Defender #ASC #Security #SecOps

Azure Architecture

Security by Design is increasingly becoming the mainstream development approach to ensure security of software systems. Security architectural design decisions are based on well-known security tactics, and patterns defined as reusable techniques for achieving specific quality concerns. In the following steps we will make a security baseline for Windows Servers with different tools.

1.Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit

The Microsoft Security Configuration Toolkit enables enterprise security administrators to effectively manage their enterprise’s Group Policy Objects (GPOs).  Using the toolkit, administrators can compare their current GPOs with Microsoft-recommended GPO baselines or other baselines, edit them, store them in GPO backup file format, and apply them via a domain controller or inject them directly into testbed hosts to test their effects. A security baseline is a group of Microsoft-recommended configuration settings that explains their security impact. These settings are based on feedback from Microsoft security engineering teams, product groups, partners, and customers. A lot of hacks are based on registry settings, so that’s why Windows Server Security Baseline is important.
You can download the Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit here

2. Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security

Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security is an important part of a layered security model. By providing host-based, two-way network traffic filtering for a device, Windows Defender Firewall blocks unauthorized network traffic flowing into or out of the local device. Windows Defender Firewall also works with Network Awareness so that it can apply security settings appropriate to the types of networks to which the device is connected. Windows Defender Firewall and Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) configuration settings are integrated into a single Microsoft Management Console (MMC) named Windows Defender Firewall, so Windows Defender Firewall is also an important part of your network’s isolation strategy. So set only the firewall ports you need end to end.

Windows Security Setting Firewall & Network Protection
Select Advanced settings

Windows Defender Firewall Advanced settings
Set only active what you need!

3. Windows Defender Security Virus & Threat Protection

Schedule a Full Scan in the Night for Threats
and Set the Windows Security options.
Keep your Defender and Virus definition files up-to-date.

4. Windows Updates

When your Windows Server is ready for production, you have to keep it Up-to-Date with Windows Updates. It’s not only the Windows Security patches, but all the software that’s running on your Server. One software leak is enough for a hacker to compromise your Server.

Windows Updates

Have a look at the Microsoft Update Catalog

Lot of Companies are using Microsoft WSUS Services or Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager to deploy the software Life cycle Management Security updates to Servers to keep them secure as possible. These are not only Microsoft Security Updates but also from third party Software vendors, like adobe, Google, etc.

5. Security Monitoring and Remediation

This Cycle is important for Security!

IT departments have multiple teams with different disciplines, so when the Windows Server is ready
for the Administrator it goes to the Application Admin in a different IT Team. They will install the Application software and maybe
some software connections with other Servers by a third IT Team. To get in control of those security steps is important, because when a IT Consultant of a third party vendor is installing old legacy software you will have hacker leaks again and that’s making your Server vulnerable. Here is where Azure Security Center and Azure Defender will support you in monitoring and remediation of security issues.

It doesn’t matter where your Windows Server is installed, in Azure Cloud or On-premises in your datacenter, it can connect securely via internet for monitoring the Server. When it’s on-premises you can install the Microsoft Arc agent

Microsoft Azure Arc Connected Machine Agent.

Azure Arc enabled Server from On-premises

When the Microsoft Azure Arc Agent is installed on the Server, you can use these Azure Services for example :

• Azure Update Management
• Azure Monitoring
• Azure Security Center with Azure Defender
• Azure Policies for Compliance
• Change Tracking and Inventory
• Insights
• Automation of Tasks

These Microsoft Azure features are supporting you to keep your Server as safe as possible and your security Up-to-Date.

From here you can add the Windows Server to Microsoft Azure Security Center with the right log analytics workspace.

Microsoft Azure Security Center Recommendations

Remediate Security Configurations on the Arc enabled Server

Remediation of Vulnerabilities on your Windows Server (Arc Enabled)

Azure Defender is a built-in tool that provides threat protection for workloads running in Azure, on premises, and in other clouds. Integrated with Azure Security Center, Azure Defender protects your hybrid data, cloud-native services, and servers and integrates with your existing security workflows, such as SIEM solutions and vast Microsoft threat intelligence, to streamline threat mitigation.

Workflow of Azure Defender for Vulnerability Scanning.

When Azure Security Center and Azure Defender are installed, you can do a Vulnerability Assessment on your Azure Arc enabled Server which is on-premises datacenter before your Windows Server is going in Production.

Vulnerabilities after Assessment on Windows Server with Arc enabled with remediation
This happens a lot when there is third party software installed on the Server.

To get a list of your high security vulnerabilities, you can use the Azure Resource Graph explorer.

Azure Resource Graph Explorer
Here you can download your high risks into a CSV or Pin to a Dashboard.

6. Compliance and Security Policies

Learn how Microsoft products and services help your organization meet regulatory compliance standards.
When you have to manage a lot of Windows Servers or Linux Servers, you want them compliant with the right security policies.

Here you find all the Microsoft Compliance Offerings

Regulatory Compliance of your environment.

With Azure Security Policy you can configure your Compliance.

in the following steps you will see an Sample alert :

Sample Alerts with Mitre ATT&CK Tactics

Take Action on the Security Alert.

Related entities

Mitigate the Threat
Prevent future attacks
Trigger automated response
or
Suppress similar Alerts.

Security by Design Conclusion

Before you begin with deploying Windows Servers in your datacenter or in the Azure Cloud, it’s good to make a High Level design with your security set for the right compliance of your new Windows Server. You can use all the security On-Premises for Windows Server but with Azure Security Center, Azure Monitor, Azure Arc Services, Azure Defender you get all the security Insights and remediation options when a vulnerability is discovered. Windows Server and Azure Security Center is better together for Security Management.

Microsoft Security

If you want to keep your Windows Servers secure as possible, you need to keep doing these steps above. Continuous Monitoring and remediate vulnerabilities is a on-going process for SecOps and Administrators. Make it hackers difficult to add ransomware on your Servers.  One more important IT Service, is your Backup / Disaster Recovery solution. This should be secure from hackers and from ransomware encryption. I always say think of this rule :

More information

Microsoft Azure Security Center on GitHub

Overview of the Azure Security Benchmark (V2)

Become an Azure Security Center Ninja

Azure Security Center in the Field by Yuri Diogenes

Introduction to Azure Defender

Join the Microsoft Azure Monitor & Security for Hybrid IT Community Group on LinkedIn

 

Windows Admin Center v2103 Available! What’s New #Winserv #Azure #Management #WindowsAdminCenter #MVPBuzz

Windows Admin Center v2103

With Windows Admin Center you can remotely manage Windows Server running anywhere—physical, virtual, on-premises, in Azure, or in a hosted environment.
The tool, available with your Windows Server license at no additional charge, consolidates and reimagines Windows OS tools in a single, browser-based, graphical user interface.
At Microsoft Ignite 2021 Global Virtual Event they launched Windows Admin Center version 2103. Here you find the download.

What’s New in Windows Admin Center v2103

WAC Updates Automatically

Events Tool ReDesign (Preview)

Great Overview of the Server Events 😉

Azure IoT Edge for Linux on Windows

Windows Admin Center in The Azure Portal 

Set Proxy Server in Windows Admin Center Settings.

Open in a Separate Window

This is a Separate Window on my Second Screen, this works Awesome!

Windows Admin Center Virtual Tool improvements 🙂

Conclusion

Microsoft is working hard to make Hybrid IT Management better for Administrators to manage Hybrid Cloud datacenters. Windows Admin Center is a must have for managing
Windows Server Core, AzureStack HCI, and Cluster Services. I can say: I love to work with Windows Admin Center 🙂

 

When you have feedback for the Product Team please do that here at User Voice